Mike McW
01-12-2006, 12:00 PM
Hello from a newbie!
I recently purchased a house and some land that had a 1940s era log cabin on it. The previous owners actually disassembled an old cabin and reassembled it on the property, and used it as a workshop. The logs were stacked in the Lincoln-log style, and instead of chinking, they just put fiberglass insulation between the logs. They then put up tar paper, plastic sheets, and fake-wood paneling up on the inside. Last year, I found that ants had decided to move into the space between the logs and the panels. Many ant bites later, I sucessfully ripped down everything that wasn't a log or insulation. It actually looks much better inside as bare logs. I would like to put up some chinking material this spring, at least on the inside, and have some questions that I need answered before I can proceed.
1. About concrete/grout chinking. If I were to walk into Home Depot today, what kind of stuff do I buy?
2. Are there any warnings about using it? Safety stuff, how to handle it so as not to make problems, etc. Application advice from more experienced people is appreciated.
3. What do you use as support for the grout? Does chickenwire and wood staples work?
4. Should I stain or treat the logs on the inside first? If so, with what?
5. Anyone know anything that keeps ants off the logs? I believe the ants didn't climb up the supports--I think they came off of a tree that had branches leaning on it. I sprayed poison all over the logs inside, and bug bombed the place just to be sure. That tree will not contribute again.
That's the short of things. Pix availible if desired.
Many thanks,
Mike
I recently purchased a house and some land that had a 1940s era log cabin on it. The previous owners actually disassembled an old cabin and reassembled it on the property, and used it as a workshop. The logs were stacked in the Lincoln-log style, and instead of chinking, they just put fiberglass insulation between the logs. They then put up tar paper, plastic sheets, and fake-wood paneling up on the inside. Last year, I found that ants had decided to move into the space between the logs and the panels. Many ant bites later, I sucessfully ripped down everything that wasn't a log or insulation. It actually looks much better inside as bare logs. I would like to put up some chinking material this spring, at least on the inside, and have some questions that I need answered before I can proceed.
1. About concrete/grout chinking. If I were to walk into Home Depot today, what kind of stuff do I buy?
2. Are there any warnings about using it? Safety stuff, how to handle it so as not to make problems, etc. Application advice from more experienced people is appreciated.
3. What do you use as support for the grout? Does chickenwire and wood staples work?
4. Should I stain or treat the logs on the inside first? If so, with what?
5. Anyone know anything that keeps ants off the logs? I believe the ants didn't climb up the supports--I think they came off of a tree that had branches leaning on it. I sprayed poison all over the logs inside, and bug bombed the place just to be sure. That tree will not contribute again.
That's the short of things. Pix availible if desired.
Many thanks,
Mike